Why were the comments on this story almost unanimously unimpressed about Thompson?

I don't think the fact that the Democrats have noticed him is enough to give him a lead in the polls. I think he's going to need to at least declare his candidacy before people will take him seriously enough to cement anything. Maybe he wants to see how many accusations from the Dems about his lobbying past gain traction before he sticks his neck out? It's too bad he sold his house in Tennessee and moved to the Beltway.

RCP published an interesting take on why Rudy is still ahead in most polls despite a month or more of FDT exuberance. Do you think that even though Thompson hails more from the Reagan camp than the Bush dynasty, his demeanor alone could associate him enough with Bush 43 to turn people off?